Penetrable BBL Bleu to the Pérez Art Museum Miami

October 2016, Miami- The Juan Carlos Maldonado Art Collection is pleased to announce the loan of Penetrable BBL Bleu to the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). The long-term loan marks the first work by Venezuelan master Jesús Rafael Soto (1923-2005) to be exhibited at PAMM. As few Penetrables of this scale are available on long-term view and in outdoor settings, this installation offers a rare opportunity to experience a masterpiece by one of Latin America’s most celebrated artists.

The official announcement of the long-term loan was made during the Museum’s 9th Corporate Luncheon. This group of “interactive penetrable sculptures has been described as one of the great marvels of contemporary art. The object invites the viewer to become one with the work of art. Thanks to the generosity of Juan Carlos Maldonado of the Juan Carlos Maldonado Art Collection you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy this kinetic sculpture,”said PAMM director Franklin Sirmans.

The loan marks an exciting step for the Juan Carlos Maldonado Art Collection as it consolidates its commitment to the Miami community. “We are proud to present this outstanding work to the visitors to the Pérez Art Museum Miami as we continue our efforts to promote modern Latin American art in a community that has become a thriving center for the arts,” said the Juan Carlos Maldonado Art Collection founder and chairman, Juan Carlos Maldonado.

First conceived in the late 1960s, Penetrables are recognized as some of the most comprehensive manifestations of Soto’s investigations into movement, matter, space and viewer participation. Penetrable BBL Bleu (2/8), produced in 1999, invites the visitor to freely walk into the work of art and become part of a vibrating world, where everything around seems to disappear, and reappear, as if dematerializing before our eyes. Although simple in form- it is a 14x5x5-meter structure composed of a freestanding metal frame with 5,600 bright blue PVC tubes suspended from it- the work offers a powerful and awe-inspiring multi-sensory experience.